TW18 1JN

NEIGHBOURHOOD REPORT

TW18 1JN - Staines-upon-Thames

Staines-upon-Thames, also known simply as Staines, is a market town in northwest Surrey, England, around 17 miles (28 kilometres) west of central London. It is in the Borough of Spelthorne, at the confluence of the River Thames and Colne. Historically part of Middlesex, the town was transferred to Surrey in 1965. Staines is close to Heathrow Airport and is linked to the national motorway network by the M25 and M3. The town is part of the Greater London Built-up Area.

The earliest evidence of human activity in the area is from the Paleolithic and, during the Neolithic, there was a causewayed enclosure on Staines Moor. The first bridge across the Thames at Staines is thought to have been built by the Romans and there was a settlement in the area around the modern High Street by the end of the 1st century CE. Throughout the Middle Ages, Staines was primarily an agricultural settlement and was held by Westminster Abbey. The first surviving record of a market is from 1218, but one may have taken place near St Mary's Church in the Anglo-Saxon period.

The industrialisation of Staines began in the mid-17th century when Thomas Ashby established a brewery in the town. Improvements to the local transport network in the mid-19th century also stimulated an expansion of the local population. The current Staines Bridge, designed by George Rennie, was opened in 1832 by William IV and the first railway line through Staines opened in 1848. The town became a centre for linoleum manufacture in 1864, when Frederick Walton established a factory on the site of the 13th-century Hale Mill.

At the end of the 20th century, Staines became infamous as the home town of the fictional film and television character, Ali G. Although many local residents felt that the town's reputation was suffering through its association with the character, Sacha Baron Cohen, the creator of Ali G, praised Staines for being a "lovely, leafy, middle-class suburb... where swans swim under the beautiful bridge". Partly in response to the reaction to the character, Spelthorne Borough Council voted in 2011 to add the suffix "upon-Thames" to the name of the town.

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Situated in local authority Staines South, Staines-upon-Thames is classed as urban with major conurbation. Nearest towns are Staines (1 miles away), Egham (3 miles away), Shepperton (3 miles away), with the capital city, London being 20 miles away.

Surrey

It is easy to think of Surrey as simply a rich suburb of London for wealthy commuters to spend their bonuses. But that would be to ignore some of the magnificent landscapes and important historical sites that lie at the heart of Surrey.

The Surrey Hills, for example, are quite beautiful and have been declared an Area of Outstanding Natural beauty whose lush valleys have inspired musicians, writers and artists for hundreds of years. Dotted around the hills are numerous charming and historic market towns with bustling markets and shops and a wealth of old English heritage.

From Runnymede Meadow in Egham and the Magna Carta Memorial (where King John met up with the 25 barons and signed possibly the most famous document in history) to the gorgeous county town of Farnham with some of southern England's finest Georgian architecture and a castle dating back to the 12th century, to Dorking, birthplace of composer Vaughn Williams and hundreds of other villages and towns, there are plenty of picturesque historic spots across Surrey. Most famous of all is Hampton Court Palace, built for Cardinal Wolsey by Henry VIII in 1514 and one of the most famous buildings in all of England. Similarly, the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens (the world's leading botanic gardens) are also impossible to avoid and one of the UK's most recognizable attractions.

Getting out and about there are famous sporting arenas such as the Oval for the cricket or Epsom for the racing. And for walkers and ramblers, bikers and hikers there are the Greensand Hills and the epic chalk hills of the North Downs Way and something approaching 6,500 acres of countryside to explore, including trails that run along the rivers Wey, Thames and Mole.

Lastly, for daytime entertainment of a different kind there is Chessington World of Adventures and for laid back nightlife there are the numerous bars and clubs of Guildford.

Where is it?

Location
Staines-upon-Thames

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Ward
Staines South

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Local Authority
Spelthorne

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Council

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Constituency

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County
Surrey

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Region
South East

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Country
England

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Classification
Urban with Major Conurbation

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Area Type
Non-metropolitan District

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ONS GSS ID
E00156753

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LSOADZ_NAME
Spelthorne 007B

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Government ID
Spelthorne 007

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Coordinates
51.424, -0.486

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Phone Code
(01784) xxxxxx

Nearby Towns

Staines	0.7 mi
Egham	2.8 mi
Shepperton	3.1 mi
Chertsey	3.2 mi
Reading	20.5 mi
Brighton	43.9 mi
Portsmouth	50.9 mi
London	19.7 mi
Cardiff	115.6 mi
Edinburgh	329.7 mi